Everton star bemused by substitution as 777 Partners make presence felt after concerns

Chris Beesley takes a look at some of the potential moments missed from Everton’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace

Amadou Onana rescued a point for Everton as his late headed equaliser earned them a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace after Jordan Ayew had fired the visitors in front but Chris Beesley looks at some potential moments missed from the game at Goodison Park.

Calvert-Lewin leads the celebrations

A typically-demonstrative Onana was obviously pleased – and relieved after he and Jarrad Branthwaite between them couldn’t get close enough to nick the ball off Jean-Philippe Mateta as he set up Ayew’s opener – with his headed goal as the midfielder marked his effort with some determined words of encouragement to the fans in the Gwladys Street before turning to the Main Stand to offer a rallying wave.

However, it was perhaps the reaction of centre-forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin that taught us all we needed to know about team spirit in Sean Dyche’s dressing room.

After becoming just the fourth player to net 50 Premier League goals for the club at West Ham United on October 29, Everton’s number nine has now gone 19 games without scoring. In truth on what was another night on which he fed on scraps, the 26-year-old never looked close ending his drought here but the spontaneity of his delighted reaction to Onana’s leveller was heartening and hopefully he can get is own reward soon to begin another purple patch.

Over five months on from the announcement that Everton’s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri had agreed to sell his entire stake in the club to 777 Partners, regulatory approval has still yet to be confirmed but the Miami-based investment firm’s co-founder and managing partner Josh Wander was back at Goodison Park to take in the action.

It was the second time Wander had watched Everton take on Crystal Palace at the ground in as many months after previously being part of a six-man delegation from the firm who attended the FA Cup third round replay between the sides after being taken on a tour of the club’s new stadium being built at Bramley-Moore Dock earlier that day. In between those matches against the Eagles, he was also present for the Blues’ fixture with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The American businessman is certainly trying to look keen and he’s now been to more Everton games than wantaway owner Moshiri in two-and-a-half years since coronavirus restrictions were lifted but just how long will the wait have to go on for until his company get the green light – or not – to become custodians of this venerable football institution